Local outdoor enthusiasts can again enjoy at least part of the San Juan Creek Trail.

Part of the trail near Doheny State Beach in Dana Point reopened Friday after being closed for construction since September.

The $1.1 million project is intended to put in safeguards against flooding and improve coastal access, said Nadia Haidar, a spokeswoman with Orange County Public Works.

Construction included a 376-foot-long wall along the bike trial under Pacific Coast Highway, rebuilding part of the bike trail and rerouting a storm drain, Haidar said.

The goal is to reduce the frequency of flooding along the bike trail, which happened often due to runoff or high tide. Even after the tide receded, Haidar said, there often remained a “lagoon-like” condition because the water would be trapped. In cases of extreme high tide or severe storms, the trail may still flood, despite the changes, she said.

The project was funded by Dana Point and the county, though the final division of costs has not been determined, said Brad Fowler, public works director for the city. The project also received a $442,500 transportation-enhancement grant from the Federal Highway Administration.

The completion of that project does not signify completion of all construction on the trail, which stretches into San Juan Capistrano. The county began a San Juan and Trabuco creek project in 2008 to improve the levee along the trail, which was damaged during a storm in 2005.

In 2010, the county opened a detour that goes north of the original trail before connecting back at San Juan Capistrano’s Descanso Park. The detour is still in place.

The overall eight-phase project is in its third phase of construction, which originally was scheduled to be completed in December 2010. The county has blamed funding constraints for the slower pace. So far the project has cost the county nearly $40 million, with remaining costs estimated at $35 million to $40 million.

The trail is owned by the county, and the city does not have a future role in its upkeep, Fowler said.

Dana Point has other potential projects coming up that may benefit walkers and cyclists, he said. The city has made a grant request to the Orange County Transportation Authority to establish a pedestrian/bicycle pathway on Coast Highway.

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